Experts fear COVID-19 can cause long-term cardiac injuries: Coronavirus Australia live

There are growing concerns over a potentially deadly COVID-19 symptom, which can cause "lasting damage" long after the virus disappears. 

A former neuroscientist and respected health and science reporter has revealed an alarming, potential long-term symptom of COVID-19.

Writing for The Guardian, Dr David Cox claimed that the coronavirus can leave patients with "lasting heart damage long after the initial symptoms have dissipated".

He reported that the worrying after-effect was first noticed by Wuhan doctors in the early days of the pandemic who noted a significant number of coronavirus cases were admitted to intensive care wards with myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle, and cited several studies which showed a significant number of coronavirus patients were experiencing "cardiac injuries".

While not all COVID-19 sufferers will experience that particular side effect – and while many of those who do will recover – Dr Cox said cardiologists were growing increasingly worried by the fact that even those who experience only mild virus symptoms can be "at risk of developing heart problems".

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